Takraw, Bangkok

This can be a fast paced game of agility. A rattan ball is served from the corner and then the striker kicks the ball over the net. You can use any part of your body except your arms and hands. If you're not used to playing and you strike the ball with your head it will hurt! The guys that play all the time have tough heads. LOL It really helps if you are flexible too. The back kick is the most exciting move for me to watch when the strike spikes the ball while doing a back flip!! I won't be doing any back kicks! LOL

I realy admire their skill, especially of this fat and already not so young fellow - he was playing realy good !

P.S. actually only today my friend Tik told me that Thailand is the best in this game - they won championship of South East Asia last time. their main rivals are Malaysia and Indonesia...

Equipment: this particular place where I've taken photos is about 300-500 metres from big intersection on Sukhumvit Rd where Asoke BTS station is, in the direction of Rama IV Rd, on the right side there is a lake and the park beside it.

this is very popular game, I bealive not less than famous Mui Thai kickboxing. I'm not sure of correct spelling or more exactly transliteration of the word which is name of this game, but my thai friend wrote it for me as: "se-pak- tra-klow". those of you who know its name exactly can correct me.

it is very exciting and very popular in SEA - I saw it in Malaysia and seems it is played in Indonesia, Phillipines and Singapore as well , even during Asian Games.

I saw these guys playing in the park and couldn't resist making quite a lot of photos. pity - the updated version of Virtual Tourist limits the quantity of photos on one Travelogue to only 8 - I have so many of them.

Equipment: they use small ball made of ... bamboo shreds ! it is very "kickable" though ! and a net similar to one for volleyball, but I belive smaller and lower than that one.... and compare to volleyball - they use only legs or head, as in football (soccer) instead of hands. one must be quite skillfull to play it on much smaller field than the one for football, basketball or even volleyball, and only using feet - kiking the ball over the net !!! I tell u, this is something. and I believe it is as popular as famous Thai kickboxing - with difference that in this game they kick the bamboo balls -:)